Giants of the Japanese pop world aren't going anywhere. The news that the group SMAP will continue despite rumors of a possible split has drawn huge attention at home and abroad.
On their live TV show, all five members apologized for causing concern and announced that they will stay together. Takuya Kimura said he felt the rift with the group's management could have led to a breakup. He said they will look forward to whatever the future brings. SMAP has been a fixture on the Japanese entertainment scene for over two decades. They perform pop and appear regularly on TV shows and in commercials.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency noted the group's possible breakup was far more than celebrity news, rocking Japanese society for a week. The BBC said talk that SMAP would break up had caused widespread concern in Japan. It added many fans were relieved, but others criticized the group's management for forcing the members to apologize in public. The New York Times reported that rumors of the breakup shocked fans in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.
◆rift 亀裂、不仲
◆breakup 分裂、解散
◆fixture 常連
◆rock 揺り動かす、動揺させる
◆break up 分裂する、解散する
◆widespread 幅広い
◆in public 人前で
